OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha softball team split its Summit League doubleheader with North Dakota State Saturday afternoon, winning 11-0 (6 innings) in the opener before falling 3-2 in the second game at Westside Field at Westbrook. The Mavericks capped the regular season with a record of 15-29 (6-8 Summit League), while the Bison finished at 24-30 (11-7 Summit League).
Omaha returns to action at the Summit League Softball Championship, May 10-13, in Fargo N.D. A full tournament bracket will be released at the conclusion of regular-season play on Sunday, May 7.
Game One – Omaha 11, North Dakota State 0 (6 innings)
Sophomore right-hander Laura Roecker (10-14) tossed a complete-game two-hitter to pick up the win. The loss went to KK Leddy (8-9), who have up 11 runs on 11 hits and six walks with two strikeouts.
Freshman Vicky Kinney led the Mavericks' offensive attack, going 2-for-3 with a grand slam and five RBI. Senior Lizzie Noble finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Senior Lia Mancuso, junior Kelly Pattison and freshman Emily Klosterman each had a pair of RBI.
Omaha erupted for six runs in the bottom of the third inning. UNO loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Mancuso and Kinney then drew back-to-back walks to make the score 2-0. Two batters later, Pattison drove in two with a single and moved to second on an error. Klosterman followed with a double to left center to score two and make the score 6-0.
The Mavericks tacked on five more runs in the sixth inning. Freshman Hailey Bartz opened the inning with a single down the left field line and moved to second on junior Kylie Schwarting's infield hit. Mancuso reached on an infield single that allowed Bartz to score. Kinney then sent a 3-1 offering over the center field wall, bringing the tally to 11-0, which ended the game due to the run-rule.
Game Two – North Dakota State 3, Omaha 2
NDSU's Jacquelyn Sertic (16-21) earned the win, scattering four hits and allowing two runs and two walks with 14 strikeouts over seven innings. Senior Abbie Clanton (5-14) took the loss, surrendering three runs on four hits and four walks with two strikeouts in six innings.
Vicky Kinney went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Lizzie Noble finished 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Kelly Pattison ended the day 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Bison opened to a 1-0 led in the top of the first inning thanks to a leadoff home run from Bre Beatty. NDSU made it 3-0 in the top of the third on a two-run homer off the bat of Tabby Heinz.
Omaha responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Noble reached on a one-out double to center and scored two batters later on a Kinney's double to left. Pinch runner freshman Kaitlynn Hunt moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Pattison to draw UNO within a run, 3-2.
Sertic then retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to preserve NDSU's win.
